(25) The fury of his anger.--Better, the burning heat of His wrath, and the violence of war. Historically, the words seem to find a better fulfiment in the "wars and rumours of wars" (Matthew 24:6) than in the long equable continuance of the exile. Verse 25. - Therefore he hath poured upon him... the strength of battle; i.e. for this cause, on account of their iniquities, did God bring upon his people the scourge of foreign war, and allow the Babylonians to waste Judaea, to destroy Jerusalem, and to lead into captivity the entire nation (comp. 2 Chronicles 36:14-17). It hath set him on fire; rather, it (i.e. the war)set him on fire. The reference is, perhaps, especially to the burning of Jerusalem by Nebuzar-adan (2 Kings 25:9); but the phrase will cover also the general devastation of the land both before and after this event (Jeremiah 39-42.), He knew not; rather, he took no notice; he did not change his ways on account of the chastisement. The prophet's view is that Israel, as a whole, was not greatly bettered by the Captivity, at any rate up to the time which he takes for his standpoint, and at which he supposes him. self to be addressing them. "the Romans came to subdue Palestine, but their coming was the pouring out of the heat of the wrath of the Lord:'' and the strength of battle; or "war"; all the miseries and calamities that are the effects of war. The Targum is, "he hath brought upon them the strength of his warriors;'' the Roman soldiers: and it hath set him on fire round about, yet he knew not; and it burned him, yet he laid it not to heart; the Roman army set fire first to the lower part of the city of Jerusalem, and then the higher (f), and wholly consumed it; and yet this has not to this day brought this people to lay it to heart, to consider and observe the true reason of it, their rejection of the Messiah. (e) Josephus apud Forerium in loc. (f) Josephus de Bello Jud. l. 7. c. 7. sect. 2. and c. 8. sect. 5. |